WWE Rumors: With Braun Strowman Injured What’s Next For Roman Reigns?

WWE star Braun Strowman has been at the center of a major push on WWE Monday Night Raw. Strowman’s push began at the end of last year, when we saw the “Monster Among Men” chasing the hapless Sami Zayn around a number of arenas. In the buildup to WrestleMania 33, Strowman entered the ring to go eyeball-to-eyeball with The Undertaker. The Deadman had shown up on Raw to tell Roman Reigns that he would take his soul at WrestleMania.

Strowman admittedly finished up slinking out of the rin, after a stare down with the Taker of Souls, but that segment told us that the WWE had big plans for Strowman. It was rumored that Strowman might be building up to a match with The Undertaker later in the year, but Wrestlemania 33 killed that buzz.

History tells us that the Undertaker was retired by Roman Reigns. As reported by the Inquisitr at the time, The Undertaker broke character after losing cleanly to Reigns. The Deadman left his hat, coat, and gloves in the center of the ring, before kissing his wife and passing into WWE folklore. That match told us what we had long suspected, the WWE sees the “Big Dog” as its top dog.

[Image by WWE]

The weeks after WrestleMania are always interesting as they give a real insight into how the WWE’s storylines are set to develop. The big news came in the shape of the “superstar shakeup,” but of even more significance was Braun Strowman’s feud with Roman reigns. Make no mistake, the WWE threw everything at this one. We saw one of the most entertaining segments in WWE history when Strowman attacked Reigns during an interview and then overturned an ambulance with Reigns inside.

Reigns was reported to have suffered serious injuries but recovered in time to face Strowman at the WWE Payback PPV. As reported on the official WWE website, Strowman handed Reigns a fearful beating, and Roman was reported to be injured as a result. Sadly, the real news was that Strowman sustained a genuine injury, and could be out of action for eight weeks.

So, What Does Braun Strowman’s Injury mean for Roman Reigns?

According to The Heavy, Strowman’s injury could not have come at a worse time for Roman Reigns. With Strowman out and undergoing minor surgery for an elbow injury, Reigns is effectively left without a storyline, and the WWE have been forced to alter their plans for the coming months. Wrestlezone argues that his injury could even mean the end of Strowman’s big push.

Of more pressing importance to the WWE network, is how they use Reigns during Strowman’s absence. WWE needs Reigns in action, and that means they need a new storyline for him on Monday Night Raw and the upcoming PPV events.

[Image by WWE]

One option could be to pitch Reigns against Samoa Joe who arrived on the main roster after attacking, and apparently injuring Seth Rollins. Since then, Samoa Joe has been under-utilized, and his storylines don’t seem to be going anywhere fast. Joe was shifted to the main roster on the back of strong merchandise sales and to join Triple H’s heel stable alongside Kevin Owens. Pitching him against Reigns would undoubtedly raise Joe’s profile, but many would see it as a backward step for Reigns.

According to Forbes, Bray Wyatt could prove to be a great option for Reigns in Strowman’s absence. That matchup would retain the classic “babyface vs. heel” match status, and of course, Strowman was a member of the Wyatt family. Many would argue that Wyatt needs a push, after all Metro recently described Wyatt as the WWE’s “most boring wrestler.”

Perhaps the most obvious solution for the WWE would be to pitch Reigns against Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. Since winning the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 33, Lesnar has gone underground, and he is in breach of the WWE network’s mandatory 30-day defense rule. With superstars like The Undertaker now retired, the WWE can’t afford to have one of its major championships uncontested, but the rumor mill claims that Lesnar is unlikely to be defending his championship anytime soon.

It has been widely rumored that Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar is already penciled in for WrestleMania 34, so they would probably be reluctant to move that clash forward.

Only time will tell what the Monday Night Raw creative team will come up with for Reigns during Strowman’s absence, but they need answers quickly. With Strowman and Lesnar absent, leaving Reigns without a storyline would undoubtedly hurt a show that is already losing viewers.